Terrible idea. Why pour a cent into a decaying facility when there is a relatively new stadium 5 minutes down the highway? If I recall correctly, one of the selling points for the Rent was the multi-purpose capability of this kind of facility. Play there and call them the Hartford to give the...

The surprisingly strong performance by the United States team — despite the 1-0 loss to Germany on Thursday — has generated an unprecedented amount of interest in the World Cup; it is the talk of every town across the country. The Boston Globe reported that the U.S.-Portugal game on Sunday was the most-viewed soccer game in U.S. history, with nearly 23 million viewers — greater than the average for both the NBA finals and last year's World Series.

Is this the same game certain among us used to deride as duller than dishwater or yacht racing?

The answer might be that the game isn't dull if you understand it, and after many years of youth soccer across the country, a lot of Americans know what is going on. Also, NCAA and English Premier League games are televised, so there is more exposure to top amateur and professional play.

Popularity of the "beautiful game" seems to grow after each World Cup, from which Hartford may benefit.

As part of an effort to enliven the city and get more use out of Dillon Stadium, the city put out a request for proposals about six weeks ago looking for someone who could manage the stadium and bring a North American Soccer League team to the city. The NASL now has 10 teams in the U.S. and Canada, and plans to expand to 18 teams by 2018.

Development director Tom Deller said the city would move ahead with the project "if it can be done in a way that makes sense." Dillon Stadium needs some renovation, but Mr. Deller said the city council has been putting money aside for several years for that purpose. He said city officials are in discussions with one potential management entity.

So, the U.S. is on to the World Cup knockout round, and baseball isn't the only (potential) game in Hartford.